Example embodiments relate to a large-capacity and high-density nonvolatile memory device having a three-dimensional structure and an operating method thereof.
In general, a conventional nonvolatile memory device may be a device which is configured to electrically erase, program and retain data, even at power-off. For this reason, the nonvolatile memory device has been applied to various applications.
Nonvolatile memory devices may be classified into a NAND-type and a NOR-type based on a cell array structure. A NAND-type nonvolatile memory device has a high density, while the NOR-type nonvolatile memory device has a high speed.
In particular, the NAND-type nonvolatile memory device has a high density because the NAND-type nonvolatile memory device includes a cell string structure where a plurality of memory cell transistors is connected in series. Since the NAND-type nonvolatile memory device changes information stored in a plurality of memory cell transistors at the same time, the update speed of the NAND-type nonvolatile memory device may be remarkably rapid as compared with the NOR-type nonvolatile memory device. The NAND-type nonvolatile memory device is applied to portable electronic products having a mass storage device, such as a digital camera, an MP3 player, and the like.
Research has been done to improve the benefits of the NAND-type nonvolatile memory device. As a result of the research, a three-dimensional NAND-type nonvolatile memory device has been proposed.